Anchor invoices now being mailed to subscribers

FALL RIVER, Mass. — As most of our faithful Anchor readers know, the official newspaper serving the Diocese of Fall River for more than a half-century has gone through some major changes over the past year.

With the institution of monthly parish assessments beginning in January, the support and subsidizing of The Anchor through a long-standing parish quota system ended and the 58-year-old publication has had to find other funding resources to stay afloat.

This is a significant change for The Anchor, since more than 60 percent of its revenue came from parish assistance. As a result, The Anchor has been diligently working on developing other means to sustain itself to continue bringing local and international Church news to the faithful of the Diocese of Fall River.

It is no secret that a sluggish economy has impacted many areas — secular and non-secular alike. The Anchor, like many diocesan parishes, schools, and ministries, has felt the effects of this economy, and continues to appeal to those who find value in the publication’s fine columnists, reporters, photographers, and news sources, to help keep the periodical arriving in mailboxes from the Attleboros, to Taunton, Fall River, New Bedford, Cape Cod and the Islands, and locations in between and beyond.

As an immediate way of cutting costs, instead of publishing a weekly, tabloid-style newspaper, The Anchor has opted to come out every other week — twice a month — and converted its format to something more akin to a magazine, albeit still printed on newsprint stock. For the past six months, the staff has also been working on other fund-raising efforts.

Thankfully, many of our longtime Anchor subscribers have been very proactive about buying and/or renewing their annual subscription to the publication. The initial response to the subscription envelope included in earlier editions has been quite promising and we’ve also been blessed with some generous donations above and beyond the modest $20 yearly subscription rate. We truly appreciate every dollar that has been sent in, along with the much-needed prayers and words of support.

But with the termination of the annual parish subscription drive this year — which accounted for the bulk of The Anchor’s subscriber base — there still remains a sizeable number of people who are getting the publication delivered to them unpaid. Previously, the parishes would be billed for these subscriptions as part of the annual drive in April; but now these subscribers will be getting bills directly from our office to ensure that their subscription does not lapse.

As such, invoices have been steadily going out since early May. For those who have already received and promptly responded to our mailing, we appreciate your continued help and support.

If you are currently receiving The Anchor and have not yet received a subscription invoice, you can expect one to arrive shortly.

You can also purchase a new subscription or renew your existing one online using a major credit or debit card via our website at www.anchornews.org. Just click on the “Subscribe” link with the large Anchor logo on the main page. There’s also a link on the same page to make either a one-time or recurring donation to The Anchor via PayPal to help sustain our mission.

Those without access to a computer can always call our office at 508-675-7151 to inquire about the status of their subscription or make a payment.

In an almost prophetic manner, Bishop James L. Connolly wrote in his statement in The Anchor’s debut edition 58 years ago: “With all our easy entertainment on radio and TV, we still need the printed word. Books and newspapers have always been regarded as sources of reliable information. The Catholic pulpit needs the help of the Catholic press. Much of our conviction, and most of our learning depends on what we read, understand and believe.”

We thank those who have been supportive of The Anchor through this first six months of transition and we hope you continue to find value in our unique diocesan newspaper. With your help, prayers and support, we are confident we can continue to deliver the Good News to you for years to come.